Trust is the ultimate currency of the network marketing industry. The more your customers trust you, the more they’ll rely on your business and the more likely they’ll be to recommend your business to others. The same is true for your team members – the more they trust you, the more they’ll enjoy working with you. And, before long, your biggest issue will be keeping your contacts organized! (Of course, you can keep it all together with a CRM, but more on that later!)

However, trust is often something we take for granted, especially if the majority of our network consists of people who already liked and trusted us before we got into network marketing. The thing is, in order to grow the business, it’s essential to branch out and meet new people. Some of these folks are new people we meet in our daily lives; others have been introduced to us by current customers and team members. So, how do you keep it all straight while growing your business AND continuing to build trust with old and new faces in your network?

The 4 C’s

Trust is dependent upon your ability to tap into the following four C categories. These form the basis of any trust-based relationship.

Chemistry

You know that feeling when you really hit it off with someone? That’s chemistry. It’s the common ground you share with those you meet that make you feel as if you’re part of the same tribe. The more you have in common with people, the better able you are to relate to them. It’s no wonder that people who are seen as relatable are often considered more trustworthy than others. What is it about you that makes you relatable to others? Is it your life experiences, your sunny disposition, your friendly attitude? Whatever it is, work on keeping it strong.

Character

Many of us make the mistake of thinking that character is something you have or you don’t. In fact, character is defined more by the things you do – your actions, words, and most importantly, how you make others feel. Your actions and words are often influenced by your values and beliefs so make sure what you say and do align with what you value. If not, it’s time to reassess one of the two to make sure they complement one another.

Competence

Are you good at what you do? A competent person knows their products and services inside and out. Furthermore, they’re able to confidently share their knowledge and expertise with others. Even if you’re just starting out, you should know enough about your product, service, and industry, in general, to speak about a topic of concern to your customers and team members. Your people want to be sure that if they have a question or concern, you can answer it and help them find a solution with ease. That means if you’re selling skincare products, become an expert in the latest trends and issues in the beauty industry. If nutrition and fitness is your business, learn all you can about the health and wellness industry. It’s all for the good of your business.

Now, many network marketers are tempted to fake it till they make it, especially in the beginning, until they gain more experience in their industries. That is a huge mistake. Faking anything is a surefire way to ruin the trust you’ve worked so hard to build! And, once you lose it, it can be super difficult to get it back. Luckily, there is a way to help your people trust you when you’re not sure of something. This is the time to tap into the expertise of your network and say, “You know, I don’t have the answer right now, but let me ask a few experts on my team and I’ll get back with you with the right answer.”

Doesn’t that sound better than coming up with a lie that sounds right or just throwing up your hands and saying, “well, I don’t know.” Not only does it show that you’re willing to learn the right answer, but it also shows that you have a large network to tap into for information. Plus, most customers and team members will be charmed by your authenticity and glad that you didn’t try to snow them over with a made-up answer.

Consistency

This is probably the least fun of the 4 C’s; however, it’s the most important to a growing business. Consistency is doing all the activities you need to do in order to deepen your relationships and make you reliable in the eyes of your customers, prospects, and distributors. By connecting with your people on a regular basis – in a predictable fashion – they’ll learn first-hand that you’ll do what you say you’re going to do, no excuses. If they have a question, they know you’ll respond to them in a timely manner with the right answer. If they mention they or someone they know is interested in a product or becoming a distributor, they know you’ll respond to them with the information they need to make the right decision. What’s more, you’ll continue to follow up with them and answer any questions they may have.

People won’t believe you until they see you. They need to see and experience your words and actions for themselves. When you’re consistent in your deeds and communication with your people, they’ll begin to trust you. Not only will they respect your consistency, but they’ll also desire it for themselves.

Are you consistent?

This is a big question. After all, we may think we’re consistent, but when we analyze our daily business habits, we begin to see the holes. Although we may know we need to do a Power Hour and connect with clients every day, we may only show up for our businesses a couple of times of a week. Similarly, although we know we need to stay in regular contact with our relationships, we may lose touch with some of them and not contact them throughout the year.

Whenever your customers buy from you and a new prospect wants to join your team, they’re thinking of three questions:

• Can I trust you?
• Do you care about me?
• Are you good at what you do?

If they say no to any of these questions, chances are they won’t buy from or work with you.  And, if they know another network marketer who does tick all those boxes, then you can be sure they’ll work with them instead of you. This may be why so many network marketers lose out on business that they thought was guaranteed. Don’t let another customer or prospect fall through the cracks!

Keeping it all together

Consistency is, by far, the area where most network marketers struggle. It’s not that they don’t want to be consistent; it’s just that they don’t have the tools to help them build consistency into their businesses. What are they missing? That would be the unofficial 5th C: A CRM.

Building consistency, one relationship at a time

We created Teamzy to help network marketers become more consistent in their businesses, whether it’s tackling the daily proactive business activities every day or staying in touch with customers, prospects, and distributors alike.

Pro Tip: Consistency builds trust, which is important for any relationship. The more consistent you are, the more your network will trust you.

Simply upload or input your database and sort them into categories, with your current all-star customers getting 5-stars, those who consistently buy from or perform for you getting 4 stars, those who need more checking in getting 3 stars, and so on. This information allows Teamzy to calculate when and how often you should check in with each group of people, particularly in the context of your goals.

Connect with your top customers and high-performing team members more often

The more often you connect with your top people, the more opportunities you have to build trust and find out how you can help and serve them. This doesn’t mean you’ll ignore the rest of your database; it just means you’ll connect with them more often. The more you connect, the more chances you’ll have to ask them to introduce you to other great folks like them. This will help you grow your business!

Pro Tip: The more you connect, the more likely you’ll stay top of mind.

Stay connected; stay organized with a CRM

The other upside of all this connection is that it gives you a chance to update the information of the people in your network. Their needs will often change with what’s happening in their lives, whether they’re going through a job change, expanding their families, experiencing an empty nest, etc. By staying in touch, you’ll learn more about the challenges they face and find new solutions to those challenges. This will build trust and help you grow the relationship. The Teamzy CRM is there to store all of this information in one spot. Plus, you can quickly access it with the literal touch of a fingertip from your mobile phone. Teamzy helps you stay organized so that you can continue doing what you love – serving your customers, prospects, and team members.

Want to learn more about what Teamzy CRM can do for you and your business? Click here to learn more!